High Fives: Dishing on Gattis, and other catchers
In conjunction with our Catcher position primer, Brandon Funston, Dalton Del Don and Scott Pianowski offer their top-5 takes on various topics concerning the fantasy catcher position, including the backstops that are most overvalued and undervalued for '15 drafts, as well as a nod to both the future and the past. Let's get to it ...
[Yahoo Sports Fantasy Baseball: Sign up and join a league today!]
Top 5 catcher draft values, based on Yahoo ADP | ||
1. Evan Gattis - Expect him to push 30 HRs now that he'll be out from behind the dish in HOU | 1. Matt Wieters - No. 5 catcher on my board yet not top-10 according to Yahoo ADP | 1. Yasmani Grandal - A solidified gig, better lineup, friendlier park, still just 26 |
2. Wilin Rosario - His bad D is a fantasy blessing as COL looking to play him more at 1B and OF | 2. Brian McCann - Not a stretch to call him the favorite to lead all Cs in HRs as a LHB in Yankee Stadium | 2. Yan Gomes - He’s done it twice in a row, price remains reasonable |
3. Wilson Ramos - Good health will go a long way - 27 HRs in past 164 games | 3. Travis d'Arnaud - Hit 13 HRs over 385 ABs as a 25-year-old last season. | 3. Travis d'Arnaud - Strong second half, always had impressive pop, pedigree |
4. Mike Zunino - Hit 22 HRs in 1st full MLB season, and BA has nowhere to go but up | 4. Miguel Montero - Not top 20 in ADP despite averaging 14 HRs, 72 RBI over the past 4 seasons | 4. Miguel Montero - Just let him rake against righties, that’s fine with me |
5. Brian McCann - Hit 8 HRs in September - should definitely be inside the top 10 mix at C | 5. Yasmani Grandal - 242.9 ADP despite being the starting C on a good LAD team with ZiPs projecting a 117 wRC+ | 5. Carlos Santana - Grandfathered in, affordable play if you need two backstops |
Bottom 5 catcher draft values, based on Yahoo ADP | ||
1. Yadier Molina - Top 100 cost for a high-mileage C that is now essentially a one-trick pony (batting average) | 1. Buster Posey - I'm a SF homer, but I can't see drafting a catcher in the first 2-3 rounds unless you're in a two-C format | 1. Evan Gattis - Won’t score a lot of runs, BA collapse possible, no obvious position |
2. Jonathan Lucroy - No doubt he can hit, but won't waste a top 75 pick on a high-volume C starting year with a hammy issue | 2. Wilin Rosario - Love his bat, but all signs point to the Rockies moving on thanks to his horrific defense | 2. Matt Wieters - Waiting for Guffman, Waiting for Godot, Waiting for Wieters |
3. Buster Posey - Taking a C inside the top 30 is too big a risk given the rigors of the position | 3. Salvador Perez - He's been worked extremely hard, so it's tough to justify taking him over McCann and Wieters | 3. Wilin Rosario - Crummy glove, team isn’t married to him |
4. Kurt Suzuki - Luckier than ever in '14 (BABIP), no power and I like backup Pinto more | 4. Dioner Navarro - No way to explain him being drafted (18%) after Martin signed in Toronto | 4. Brian McCann - Those New York optimists are downright adorable |
5. Matt Wieters - Draft d'Arnaud if it's 20+ HRs with a .240-.250 BA that you're fishing for | 5. Kurt Suzuki - He's a safe option but hit three homers over 452 ABs last year | 5. Kurt Suzuki - Career .257 hitter with limited pop, no thanks |
Top 5 Home Run bets for '15 among the C-eligible crowd | ||
1. Evan Gattis - Averaging 32.7 HR per 162 games in MLB career, and will play more than ever in '15 | 1. Brian McCann - 20+ HRs in 7 straight seasons and home park increased HRs for LHB the most in the AL over the last 3 years | 1. Carlos Santana - Say it again, he’s catcher-eligible in the Y! |
2. Brian McCann - Finished '14 on a power surge and his home ballpark set-up is ideal for LHBs | 2. Evan Gattis - He has the advantage of not actually having to play catcher. | 2. Devin Mesoraco - Funny how he blossomed after Dusty left |
3. Carlos Santana - Likely to get the most ABs among C eligibles - paced position in '14 (27 HR) | 3. Carlos Santana - He has the advantage of not actually having to play catcher | 3. Evan Gattis - I’m not paying, but he’ll rain some into the Crawford Boxes |
4. Devin Mesoraco - Hit 25 HRs as a 25/26-year-old in '14 | 4. Devin Mesoraco - GAB has increased RHB HRs as much as any MLB park over past 3 years | 4. Mike Zunino - Tries to hit every pitch 1,000 miles |
5. Mike Zunino - In 1st full season, 1 of 3 catchers with ISO above .200 (.205) | 5. Buster Posey - It's crazy the Giants won the WS without Posey having an XBH in the postseason | 5. Brian McCann - Has fleas, but pop is consistently there |
Top 5 projected fantasy backstops for the year 2020 | ||
1. Buster Posey - Assuming he manages to get at least 5 starts behind the dish in '19 | 1. Buster Posey - Real chance he'll have moved permanently to 1B by then, but for the purposes of this exercise ... | 1. Buster Posey - Team is smart to give him occasional 1B work |
2. Salvador Perez - Won't yet be 30 years old come the 2020 draft season | 2. Devin Mesoraco - He's 26, but crazy projecting any player 5 years from now, let alone a catcher | 2. Devin Mesoraco - Looking for Groundhog Day career from Punxsutawney kid |
3. Travis d'Arnaud - Has the pedigree and really turned things around after MLB mid-season return in '14 | 3. Matt Wieters - Who knows, and DH is an option here | 3. Salvador Perez - If Ned Yost doesn’t break him first |
4. Blake Swihart - BoSox backstop being hailed as the next Posey | 4. Jonathan Lucroy - His mileage is low at least | 4. Jorge Alfaro - Big pop, big arm, hitter-friendly park |
5. Kyle Schwarber - Can flat-out hit - another in a long line of can't-miss Cubs prospects | 5. Blake Swihart - 22-year-old whom Keith Law currently ranks as a better prospect than Joey Gallo | 5. Blake Swihart - In Ben Cherington I trust |
Top 5 favorite MLB catchers of all-time | ||
1. Gary Carter - HOFer always played with a smile - met him after his career was over and he couldn't have been nicer | 1. Buster Posey - Has won ROY, Comeback POY, MVP and 3 World Series titles. His wRC+ is all time highest among Cs - no big deal | 1. Yadier Molina - A clinic behind the plate, a gamer at the dish. Closing in on HOF resume |
2. Mike Piazza - Greatest hitting C of all-time, and respect for staying classy vs. punk Clemens in Subway Series | 2. Mike Piazza - I'm eschewing "favorites" and going with "best" from here on out: 38 more career HRs than any other catcher | 2. Carlton Fisk - Cranky New Englander who played game the right way |
3. Tony Pena - Loved his leg-out squat behind the dish, laser arm and competitive fire | 3. Johnny Bench - He leads all catchers in career WAR (74.8) by a wide margin | 3. Victor Martinez - An artist at the plate, no weaknesses |
4. Johnny Bench - Much love for the Baseball Bunch - I know the Pianowman is with me | 4. Ivan Rodriguez - Easily the best defensive backstop of all time | 4. Darren Dalton - Before he went completely off the reservation. |
5. Jake Taylor - Versed in Moby Dick, bunts for base hits and gets the girl in the end | 5. Yogi Berra - It gets late real early here | 5. Johnny Bench - He’s here strictly for the Baseball Bunch value |